BOISE, ID - The City of Boise will partner with the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation to build a state-of-the-art bike skills park, city officials announced Wednesday.

The new park -- which will be located in the basin between Fort Boise Park and Military Reserve -- will feature tracks, rollers and other skills elements for mountain bikers of all ages and abilities to learn and improve their skills. “Although the design and project scope is still being developed, the overall park plan calls for landscaping and improvements to the basin as well,” said Boise Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Bonnie Shelton.

“We are thrilled that the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation is making a bike skills park a reality in Boise,” said Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway. “Interest in mountain biking and recreational opportunities throughout our Ridge to Rivers Trail System continues to grow and our team will work to integrate this project into the surrounding neighborhood and reserve.”

Boise City Council members approved the agreement to move forward with the bike skills park Tuesday night. A start date for construction has not been set.

“The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation is committed to investing in our communities, especially where we can grow opportunities for world-class recreation in the state of Idaho,” said Roger Quarles, Executive Director of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. “Like Rhodes Park and the Boise Whitewater Park, we look forward to working in conjunction with the City of Boise to bring this idea to life for mountain bikers of all ages and abilities to enjoy.”

The land where the bike skills park will be constructed currently serves as a dog off-leash area. The Boise Parks and Recreation Department will conduct community outreach in the creation of a new dog park which has been proposed in the adjacent flood basin.

City officials will be looking for citizen input on the new dog park soon, including what amenities should be added. Parks and Recreation also plans to build a new bathroom facility in the area.

“The plan to build a bike skills park and upgraded dog park in Boise’s East End is an exciting development for the community,” said East End Neighborhood Association President Brittney Scigliano. “I look forward to working with the Boise Parks and Recreation Department to make these projects a reality, as I believe they will enhance quality of life for all residents.”

Boise Parks and Recreation officials will also be finding a new location for the archery range, which is now located where the new dog park has been proposed. City employees are currently looking for a suitable alternative location, including considering potential sites within Military Reserve, Shelton said.

"We launched the Boise Bicycle Project in 2007 with a vision of transforming Boise into the Bicycle Capital of America and for the last decade, our grassroots supporters and community partners including the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation have worked hard to turn that vision into a reality,” said Jimmy Hallyburton, founder and executive director of the Boise Bicycle Project. “Every once in a while, a rare opportunity unfolds to take a massive step closer to that vision and this partnership with the City of Boise and the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation to create a world-class bike skills park in Boise is more than a massive step, it's a milestone.”

A public meeting will be held Wednesday, April 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Dick Eardley Senior Center to provide more information and answer questions about the new bike skills park. In addition, City of Boise staff will collect feedback on plans for the improved dog park and relocation of the archery range.

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